Mines still black and it's even more irritating on my mObile :-/

Black here too.....it's really annoying!

It's there one minute gone the next then back again and I can't ever see me using it!

It's blue for me now on Firefox. But I can't see that I'd ever use it either.

Whoo Hooo! I've gone blue.

It's better......still annoying but a nicer colour

> Quote: We do have access to a certain amount of non-personally identifying information about you.  ~ All web sites, including those with AddThis installed, receive information such as which web page you came from, which type of browser you are using, and your general geographic location. When you and others use our tools to share content, we aggregate data about what pages are shared, when, and how. We also assign your web browser a unique identifier. This ID doesn't, and can't, say anything about you, it's just a random series of numbers and letters we use to distinguish users from each other.
>
> Harley: "Whatever form of ID they use for my browser I would far prefer they didn't use it at all"

An alternative viewpoint:  I run a village website on behalf of, and mostly funded by, my Parish Council.   In addition we ask local businesses to pay a nominal amount towards their adverts/listings.  As I'm accountable to the PC for the maintenance and content of the site I'm very careful to keep it up to date, to provide accurate hyperlinks, and proactively manage the information displayed so it remains interesting.  I use data such as that mentioned in the privacy doc above to analyse the amount of usage we have (I use Google Analytics).  I can see where people have been referred from, how they've searched to arrive at our site, which of our pages they read, how long they browse, how many pages they view etc.  I use this to help justify the costs of running the site, and to make it easier to use and more appealing if I identify gaps or problems.  Without this sort of data I doubt that I could defend the ongoing costs.  I cannot identify individuals, and neither can Google, but they can tell me if the user is UK based or overseas, is a new user or if I'm seeing repeat visits.  All very useful stuff :)

> Marianne if you read the  privacy policy it explains that your details will be used for targeted advertising - I assume that is on social networking sites - but you can opt out of having your details used in that way.

ahh see I don't mind that on facebook, it has sent me some interesting shops, like a specialist giant breed equiptment shop :)

Had the black bar now got the blue one - can't stand it    

As far as I'm concerned its just another annoyance and puts me off coming on here.   Good way to get rid of long time members though.

Thank goodness. :-) :-)

Yipeee....... now got blue too, (phew) what a difference.

Well done!! :-) 

Good way to get rid of long time members though.

Why? :-)

Can't those against this see the good it can do, aren't we always shouting about how to get through to the public? Isn't this a fantastic platform to get through with some of the issues, lessons and knowledge, something that we feel others should know re: how to find a good breeder, whether to breed from your dog, so many other issues, we can share on FB, twitter etc to reach out to people and little by little the word spreads like chinese whispers.

We can do a lot of good here too. :-)

I know it is probably not the reason that it is being used as far as the site is concerned it is a way to reach out via advertising, but everything everywhere is funded by advertising today by some sort or another.

The site needs to move with the times too.

If moving with the times causes harm as it did at the beginning of advertising here with the zap collar ads seeping through I'm happy to shout with the rest of you, as with people using the site to advertise their products for negative training methods.

But, honestly I can't see why some are getting in a pickle about a bar advertising that you can share a thread if you wish, it's not in the way of reading, it's not obtrusive IMO now and no-one is forced to use it, this is a public forum what we write on here it is read by anyone anyway, why does it matter if it is also read on facebook, twitter or anywhere else?

I don't understand why such a thing is prompting some to say they may leave because of it? **hands in air**

I'm happy to stamp my feet when there is something I perceive as wrong, but I'm scratching my head here......... I really am scratching my head, it's a little blue bar that does not interfere with reading a thread, you can press the x if you don't want it there or you can just ignore it.

But, best of all we can take advantage of it, when we want to spread the word about something if we wish.  It's great! :-)

It was annoying when it was black, now it is a suitable s hade of blue I don't have a problem at all. Lets face it, we DO need to get the more average members of the dog owning public onto forums like this, most of them have no idea such places exist!

Well blue is better but you still have to scroll up to read the first post and to my mind it is an unnecessary irritation that I am getting sick of.

> we can share on FB, twitter etc to reach out to people

As a lady of a certain age :) I don't really go in for the facebook connections with everyone I have ever nodded to in the street, or know someone that nodded to them in the street.  I just have a few family and friends that I could easily speak to if they are thinking of getting a dog for instance.   
I am not sure who the demographic receiving these message are in Twitter.  I had a look at the Champdogs page and many of the followers appeared to have their own agenda and products to sell.
Whereas Champdogs can control what is advertised here, what control does it have that advertisers in these other arenas match the Champdogs ethos?

Good post Carrington, fully agree with you.

I just have a few family and friends that I could easily speak to if they are thinking of getting a dog for instance. 

Just as a foreinstance my sons have got hundreds and hundreds of friends on FB, Twitter etc, in fact probably thousands, obviously many are acquaintances and friends of acquaintances, and people they will never ever meet, and right now one of these 'friends' has just got a dog, keeps asking questions how to do this, how to do that? Son of mine keeps asking me to answer questions, (well my essays wouldn't go down well on FB or Twitter would they? :-D  So, I just tell my son to recommend CD, but how great now I can get son to send a whole thread with info for the toilet training, training etc and CD gets passed on to others and so spreads the word.

But, even for those with a few close friends/family on FB etc.........I think you would probably be surprised if someone you know gets or wants to get a dog, yes they may well just phone and ask you, but if you sometimes send a thread your friend/family member may also send that thread to people they know with dogs or thinking of getting one and before you know it CD has feet and is walking all over the internet. :-)

Whereas Champdogs can control what is advertised here, what control does it have that advertisers in these other arenas match the Champdogs ethos?

None :-( Does it matter? As long as you are on a forum/site that has standards and that you are a part of helping to promote, is it not a good thing for people to see the difference? We can't control other sites and other advertisers and we can't hide from them either it's like many on here say about the free ads if there is the odd good breeder thrown in there showing the difference to what you get, won't CD have the same effect, after all everyone else is out there, so why not CD too?

It will do more good than harm. :-)

> Can't those against this see the good it can do

I can't speak for others, so this is just my view. I have not complained about the ability to 'share' threads on FB etc - I am sure that there was a similar link at the bottom of these pages before. What I do object to is a) the obtrusive banner - yes, it is a little better now it is blue not black, but it is still obtrusive and annoying. b) these changes are made without any notification from Mark, no warning that he has added data gathering software and no information that there is an option to 'opt-out'.

> As long as you are on a forum/site that has standards

I am fully aware that data gathering happens elsewhere - I am not a total idiot. Given that this is a relatively small community, I expected (goodness knows why given the history here), that some notification might have been given of the change and why it was thought necessary :( :(

As they say on Facebook, Daisy, "Like" :-D

I expected (goodness knows why given the history here), that some notification might have been given of the change and why it was thought necessary 

Really? :-)

When I visit any site I don't expect it to put a declaration up when doing something small like adding a share bar?

We are but guests on this forum, we have no shares in it or design input unless asked and a lot of people were involved in the breed sections. I think we do pretty well in the fact that we are listened to when there are important issues and that is because many members are much valued for their expertise and knowledge, but I think it is very presumptuous to think that we should be involved in everything about the forum.

It's such a little thing to be getting upset about. :-)

I don't find it any bother

Carrington - well said! 

> We are but guests on this forum

Oh how true :) :) Although the word 'guest' reminds me of the mat outside the door of a flat I once knew - "All our guests are welcome, some by coming and some by going"

> It's such a little thing to be getting upset about.

I'm not upset - I've been on here over 9 years. I know better than that  :) :) But I do have a viewpoint and I am going to express it :)

> "All our guests are welcome, some by coming and some by going

Like it, LOL.

I don't mind the opportunity to share on these sites perhaps a good idea, it's just a shame it isn't static such as up in the corner to the right of options & log out. It's the constant up & down of it I find irritating.

I don't mind the info for those who want it but it makes reading the posts so much more difficult, OK on a square screen but not on a wide one.

Perhaps if we could have it down the side it would intrude less on the main function of this site, that is reading other peoples opinions and advice.

> Can't those against this see the good it can do, aren't we always shouting about how to get through to the public? Isn't this a fantastic platform to get through with some of the issues, lessons and knowledge, something that we feel others should know re: how to find a good breeder, whether to breed from your dog, so many other issues, we can share on FB, twitter etc to reach out to people and little by little the word spreads like chinese whispers.
>

agree with the whole post carrington :) it's a great potential medium, otherwise just ignore it. I hope that something so silly doesn't force people away

Or how about one of those little rolling up and down things, it disappears if you move the mouse away, and reappears if you point the mouse at the top of the page?

I didn't even notice it until I read this page lol

> I didn't even notice it until I read this page lol

LOL, same here :)

I don't know if this is a new feature to this but what I am finding rather irritating at the moment is if you allow your cursor to wander over the various "tweeting" option by accident you are shot back to the top of the thread!